9th ANNUAL TECHCON DATE AND VENUE SET

The date and venue for the 9th Annual TECHCON have been set.  The date for the 9th Annual TECHCON, the Annual Technical Conference for the ARRL West Central Florida Section, is Friday February 24, 2023 and Saturday February 25, 2023.  The venue for the 9th Annual TECHCON will be the Hillsborough County Public Safety Operations Complex, located at 9450 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa, FL 33519, on the east side of Tampa, just on the west side of I-75.

The 9th Annual TECHCON will be a face to face conference but also will be available for viewing via Zoom teleconferencing once again this year.  The 9th Annual TECHCON will see a resumption of the Friday Afternoon Workshop, for the first time since 2020.

The presentations for TECHCON will be recorded and available for viewing on the Section’s YouTube channel immediately after the conclusion of TECHCON whch is located at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFA4-HEjr-lYMFisVG_Nk5A.

Registration for the 9th Annual TECHCON is now open.  You may register to either attend or make a presentation for TECHCON at http://arrlwcf.org/section-forms/wcftechconfregistration/.  For more information about TECHCON you may go to the TECHCON webpage on the Section website at http://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/wcftechconference/

END OF PRESS RELEASE

INFORMATION FOR THE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR BEN HENLEY KI4IGX

Ben Henley KI4IGX, the former Section Emergency Coordinator for the ARRL West Central Florida Section from 2015-2020, became a Silent Key on Wednesday July 20, 2022.  See WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #22-19 at http://arrlwcf.org/news/2022/07/25/wcf-section-press-release-22-19/ for the full announcement of the passing of Ben Henley KI4IGX.

The memorial service for Ben Henley KI4IGX, will be held on Saturday, July 30th, 2022 at  1100 EDT, at the Sebring Christian Church located at 4514 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872.  For location map, please go to Google Maps at https://goo.gl/maps/DHSNQfCAE5ahGYcu8.

The memorial service information was obtained courtesy of the Highlands County Amateur Radio Club website at https://highlandsamateurradio.com/.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

FORMER SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR BEN HENLEY KI4IGX IS A SILENT KEY

Ben Henley KI4IGX, who was the Section Emergency Coordinator for the ARRL West Central Florida Section from 2015-2020 became a Silent Key on Wednesday July 20, 2022, after a protracted battle with congestive heart failure and ischemia, and had been awaiting a heart transplant for several years.  Henley was 52 years old.

Henley obtained his Technician class amateur radio license in 2004 an upgraded to General class in 2016.  It was Henley’s experience in emergency management and commercial two way radio that led him to become a licensed amateur radio operator.  Henley was instrumental in helping to foster a working partnership between Highland County Emergency Management and Highlands County ARES, and providing them with logistical support to help carry out their mission.  Henley was also instrumental in helping to foster the concept of the three ARRL Florida Section ARES programs as being partners working together with the State EOC as one organization during emergency situations.

Henley in his professional career was in information technology, first at a local hospital in Highlands County, then a firefighter with the Highlands County Fire Department, and then as Emergency Management Coordinator with Highlands County Emergency Management.  During his tenure with Highlands County Emergency Management, Henley was the 911 coordinator for a number of years, provided information technology support, commercial two way radio support, and had considerable input into the design of the current Highlands County Emergency Operations Center.

At press time, there was no information available on a memorial service.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

SECTION ARES CANCELLATION DUE TO SECTION ARES LUNCHEON AND MEETING

The ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net scheduled for Saturday July 23, 2022 on 3940 KHz at 0730 or immediately following the Florida Phone Traffic Net is cancelled to facilitate the Summer 2022 ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Luncheon and ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Meeting being held on the same date. The ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net on 3940 KHz will resume normal operation on Saturday July 30, 2022.

The Summer 2022 ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Luncheon will be held at the Sebring Diner in south Sebring at 1100 EDT, and ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Meeting will be held at the Highlands County Emergency Operation Center in south Sebring. For detailed meeting information, including links to maps and other meeting information, go to the ARRL West Central Florida Section website at http://arrlwcf.org.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

SECTION NET CANCELLATIONS FOR THE INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND

In observance of Independence Day, the West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net scheduled for Saturday July 2, 2022 at 0730 or immediately following the Florida Phone Traffic Net on 3940 KHz will be cancelled.  This net will resume normal operation on Saturday July 9, 2022.

In observance of Independence Day, the West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net scheduled for Monday July 4, 2022 at 1930 on the NI4CE Repeater System will be cancelled.  This net will resume normal operation on Monday July 11, 2022.

The Eagle Net and the West Central Florida Section Technical Net will operate as scheduled throughout this period.  The ARRL West Central Florida Section wishes everyone a Happy Independence Day and weekend.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

THE 22ND ARRL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA CARAVAN RIDES ONCE AGAIN

In keeping with tradition, the ARRL West Central Florida Section Field Day Caravan will once again take to the roads of the ARRL West Central Florida Section on Saturday June 25, 2022 to visit ARRL Field Day sites in the ARRL West Central Florida Section.  The members of this year’s caravan are Mike Douglas W4MDD, Section Manager, and Jimmy Russ AB4KA, Assistant Section Manager.

For information on the ARRL West Central Florida Section Field Day Caravan, including a tentative travel itinerary, APRS tracking information, and information on how to format and to send an NTS radiogram to our Section Manager or Section Emergency Coordinator you may visit the ARRL West Central Florida Section Field Day Caravan webpage at http://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/west-central-florida-section-field-day-caravan/.  The webpage also includes a sample radiogram to use to help one format their own NTS radiogram to the Section Manager or the Section Emergency Coordinator.  Just a reminder, this radiogram must be sent during the Field Day period, not before or afterward.

The ARRL West Central Florida Section wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable Field Day weekend.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

SPECIAL EAGLE NET SESSION PLANNED FOR FIELD DAY 2022

Once again the Eagle Net, the NTS traffic net for the ARRL West Central Florida Section, which normally meets daily at 2030 hours, is planning for a special Field Day session which will begin at 2000 hours on Saturday June 25, 2022 to accommodate Field Day generated traffic.

Dave Rockwell W4PXE, Net Manager of the Eagle Net had the following statement concerning this session, “On Saturday, June 25, 2022, the West Central Florida National Traffic (EAGLE) Net will once again operate an extended net to support clubs and individuals wishing to send formal traffic to the Section Manager and Section Emergency Coordinator.  Also, we will support traffic leaving the section. Dave, W4PXE, will be the Alternate Net Control for the session. Bring your traffic!!”

END OF PRESS RELEASE

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS PROCLAIMS AMATEUR RADIO WEEK IN FLORIDA FOR 2022

On Friday June 17, 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a proclamation declaring the week of Monday June 20, 2022 through Sunday June 26, 2022 to be Amateur Radio Week in State of Florida.

Governor DeSantis acknowledged in his proclamation that amateur radio has been around for over a century, helps to build new relationships and friendships, and that amateur radio has provided many hours of service over many decades for which they are not compensated to the State of Florida and other organizations.

For the PDF that contains the text of the full proclamation please go to http://arrlwcf.org/download/wcfgeneral/StateOfFlorida_AmateurRadioWeek2022.pdf.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WOODY FURMAN KJ4KSG IS A SILENT KEY

On Thursday June 9, 2022, Lemuel “Woody” Furman KJ4KSG, of Bradenton became a Silent Key.  Furman was 61 years old.  Furman had served as one of the first Assistant Net Managers of the Eagle Net, and was the 2017 recipient of the Ellen White W1YL award.  Furman was also active with the Sarasota Agricultural Recovery Group (SARG).

Darrell Davis KT4WX, Assistant Section Manager for the ARRL West Central Florida Section made the following comments about Furman’s passing, “Woody was a true southern gentlemen, that was always trying to help others as well as being a good family man.  Woody will be missed by all who knew him.”

At press time, there was not any information available concerning a memorial service or internment.

END OF PRESS RELEASE